Thermal Explorer Highway

This popular touring route guarantees plenty to talk about over dinner, as well as plenty of delicious dining opportunities.

It's an enticing combination of unusual, captivating landscapes; indulgent food and wine experiences; and authentic encounters with Maori culture. You'll journey from the caves of Waitomo to the vineyards of Hastings, with amazing volcanic action in between.

Route Summary

Beginning in Auckland, New Zealand's largest population centre, the Thermal Explorer Highway takes you through the Waikato region then on to the geothermal city of Rotorua. After Lake Taupo you have the option of detouring to Tongariro National Park, then it's over the hills to the wine country of Napier and Hastings.

Key Features

A line of volcanic action cuts diagonally across the central North Island. The landscape is remarkable for its crater lakes, volcanic cones and areas of seething geothermal activity. Around Rotorua and Lake Taupo, wafts of steam indicate parks and gardens where nature has made her own spectacular water features - geysers, simmering cauldrons and boiling mud pools. Where there is inner heat, there are spa pools and beauty therapists. You can supplement your relaxation with geothermal mud wraps, hot soaks in mineral pools and delicious massage treatments.

Since the earliest times, Rotorua has been a focus for Maori culture. Attracted by the comfort of geothermal energy for cooking and warmth, Maori settlers arrived around 600 years ago. Today, their descendents maintain the traditional way of life in many ways. As a visitor to Rotorua, you'll have the chance to learn about the culture, enjoy the amazing performance art and discover the smoky succulence of hangi (earth oven) food. Rotorua's hospitality is beautifully expressed with the word manaakitanga. A deep-rooted concept in Maori culture, manaakitanga is a challenge to Rotorua's community to offer visitors the best experience.

Around Waitomo in the Waikato region, an entirely different world awaits. The area is riddled with caves and tomo (holes). Underground attractions cover the full adventure spectrum - from a gentle stroll through the giant Waitomo cave, with a pitch black boat trip to see glow worms, to sliding through underground caverns in a wetsuit. If you want an entirely mind-blowing mission, do the The Lost World adventure, which begins with an abseil into a 100 metre tomo.

Sublime food and wine experiences are a feature of the Thermal Explorer, but it's not until you reach Hawke's Bay that you can kick off your shoes and dine alfresco amidst the vines. More than 40 vineyards are clustered around the river plains behind Hastings, and most have a café or restaurant. Some visitors choose to cycle from one to the next; others team up with a local tour operator, to avoid the need to drive.